CRPF jawan deserts unit, appeals to the PM for protection

Pankaj Mishra, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan who shot a selfie video last week in which he raved and ranted about Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other politicians over the death of fellow troopers in the recent Naxal attack in Sukma, has claimed that he has deserted his West Bengal-based unit.

Releasing another selfie video, Mishra claimed that he was detained and beaten up after his first video went viral on social media. Justifying his escape, he says, “Mathew got killed. Tej Bahadur got dismissed. They can kill me as well and pass it off as suicide. But if jawans don’t raise their voice, how will their issues get addressed.”

Dressed in plain clothes, the trooper goes on to tell in the video that he has filed for a leave application. He also demands that all the proceedings against him for alleged indiscipline be conducted in a civil court.

“Our new DG Bhatnagar sahib got my mobiles confiscated, besides initiating disciplinary action against me to punish me. Without being hit in the face, I was thrashed for two days and they didn’t give me any food,” he alleges, before revealing, “Somehow, I escaped from their custody.”

“Baba Saheb Ambedkar had stressed on doing away with inequality and untouchability. Then, why is it being practised in the armed forces,” Mishra questions. “The disparity between jawans and officers must end,” he remarks.

“I request the media to invite soldiers to their studios instead of holding discussions with the officers—who have been exploiting jawans—to know the issues in the armed forces,” urges Mishra.

“General VK Singh, during his tenure as army chief, bitterly criticised the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. When his birthday row didn’t get resolved, he openly protested against it. Thereafter, he started leaking security secrets such as shortage of arms and ammunition and claimed that India couldn’t fight China in the event of a war. Yet, today, he is a minister in the government,” he notes.

“I request PM Modi to please not listen to BJP’s senior leaders and take all the decisions by himself. If you think, I’ve said anything wrong in my videos, I am ready to accept any punishment but I won’t listen to anyone else,” the jawan says.